


This is Home

by AngryPirateHusbands



Series: To Not be Troubled by the Sea [2]
Category: Black Sails
Genre: Comfort/Angst, Established Relationship, M/M, Nightmares
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-02-14
Updated: 2017-03-17
Packaged: 2018-09-23 17:12:34
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 3,088
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9667649
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AngryPirateHusbands/pseuds/AngryPirateHusbands
Summary: A collection of post-series, pre-TI drabbles.Goes hand-in-hand with To Not be Troubled by the Sea.





	1. He Knew Better

**Author's Note:**

> Rated E for future works.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> *Based on a prompt from LittleHousemouse
> 
> Post S4 and contains spoilers.

Silver awoke to the sound of a scream. It was a horrid sound; sharp and biting, not unlike the cry of a wounded animal. Despite the fact that it lasted but a moment before giving way to fragile silence once more, it was more than enough to rouse Silver from a dead sleep. He had always been quite the heavy sleeper. A fortunate consequence if there was one from spending years in an orphanage, trying to sleep surrounded by an unruly lot of misfits similar to himself. In most cases he could sleep through almost anything, but not this. Never this.

When Silver's eyes snapped open the pupils were dark and wide in search of the source of the commotion, and whatever threat may have caused it. Similarly, his heart had been sent pounding within his chest like the stamping hooves of a panicked horse. Yet there was no threat, no danger. They were alone. Nestled within the small cottage that sat on a bluff beside the sea. The candle atop the nightstand had been left to burn throughout the night, and now nearly drowned its own pool of melted wax. The flame was small and flickering, but even so it was more than enough to help Silver's eyes adjust to the dark silhouette slumped over the edge of the bed.

Flint's form was still. The only movement he could distinguish was the hitched rise and fall of his back and shoulders from each unsteady breath. Each one seemed to tear through that normally solid stature like a gust of wind, buckling the fragile glass within its sturdy frame. Silver didn't need to ask to know that Flint had been roused from yet another nightmare. Ever since Charlestown, he had been privy to what the captain surely thought of as moments of weakness. While he could never know for sure just what it was that reduced Flint to such a state, what could tear him from his sleep with a cry wrought with grief and fear and anger, he could venture a guess. After all, there were an endless supply of demons to lend their torment. Lost lovers, friends betrayed, foes both defeated and remaining.. the list was endless. Flint never specified, and Silver never asked. He knew better than that.

"James." Silver's voice was but a whisper cutting through the darkness. He could just make out the way those shoulders stiffened, becoming locked in place to better hold the weight of his grief, alone. Always alone. Even now the man was so stubborn. Yet even so he could see a sharp edge of his profile as he just barely, by a sliver, turned his face in his direction.

 _Where are you?_ Silver wondered. Just as when they were in that stinking wooden cage within the Maroon camp all those years ago, the wall Flint had raised around himself was almost palpable. When he was like this, silent and withdrawn, it was always so hard to reach him. To sink beneath those torrid waters, to tightly grasp his hand and _pull_ with all his strength _,_ until they both broke from beneath the waves and could breathe again. Questions would not bring Flint back from whatever nightmare gripped his chest. He knew better than that.

"It's alright," Silver did his best to soothe. Despite himself his voice was rough, cracking slightly as he shuffled to sit up and wipe the sleep from his eyes. "You're safe," he murmured. The dim light that had reflected off of Flint's eyes disappeared as the man turned his gaze from him once more.

He knew better than that.

" _I'm safe,"_ Silver reiterated after a moment. A breath, soft and full of relief, left his own chest when he saw the way Flint's shoulders slackened from his words, as if finally being freed of a heavy weight. So that what the nightmare had been about. Their separation, his death. Perhaps he had relived that day in the bay when Silver had, by all appearances, drowned. Hell, he wouldn't blame him. Despite the years that had gone by he still suffered from his own haunting memories of the ordeal. _  
_

With slow and careful movements Silver inched close until his chest was pressed to Flint's back. Strong arms linked around him in order to hold their bare forms impossibly close, with nothing but a thin linen sheet separating them. "I'm here," he murmured against his skin, his forehead pressed against the gentle slope of his shoulder. More and more, he could sense the tension slipping from the captain's form until he had all but sunken back into that embrace. Lips touched his neck in a chaste kiss. Soft, simple, reassuring. Flint's fingers were warm when they touched his own. He could feel the callouses on his palm and fingertips, in no way lessened from the years of sailing as he now worked his own land, kept up his own house. Silver was careful as he traced over each notch of his spine with similarly tender kisses, all the while whispering soft reassurances of, "I'm here," beneath his breath.

Eventually those fingers linked with his own and Flint gave his hand a gentle squeeze. He could just barely make out the green of his eyes as he at last turned to face him. His expression was worn, exhausted, but soft. The worst of it had passed, the wall separating them once again dust beneath their feet. "I'm here," Flint returned softly. And he was.

Silver didn't say anything more as Flint drew away from the edge of the bed, a thumb tracing along his jaw before those lips touched against his own, and they sank beneath the thin sheet once more. This time Flint's arms wrapped around him, holding him close as their bodies slotted together so perfectly. Still, Silver was silent. He allowed the man to bury his nose against his curls and simply listened to the way Flint's breathing gradually evened out, the way his arms grew slack, as he eventually fell into sleep's embrace once more. There was nothing more he needed to say. No "I love you's", no more reassurances. He knew better than that.


	2. Look to the Stars

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Stargazing, tales, and tender kisses.

James awoke to the soft rustling of the window curtains. A breath of a sigh escaped his lips as he shifted onto his side, his eyes just barely cracking open to survey the room around him. It was almost completely shrouded in darkness, the only trace of light granted by the moonlight streaming in through the open window. The curtains lifted almost lazily in the breeze that came in from the coast and brought with it the scent of freshly dampened earth and ocean spray. As it was the middle of summer, the heavy windows had been left open to better welcome the cooler temperatures of the evening. Refreshing though it was, it was still far too warm to sleep beneath anything heavier than a single thin cotton sheet. Most nights he slept in his trousers with Silver's naked form curled up by his side. Now, however, he was alone.

James reached out to touch the empty bedding beside him. The sheets were slightly cool to the touch, proving that wherever Silver had wandered off to he had done so a while ago. It was strange. It was not all that unusual for James to awaken once or twice during the night, either from some nightmare or sudden noise that sent his heart pounding and his hand reaching for a pistol. Yet over the past few weeks, it was neither of these things that caused him to stir from his slumber. Rather, it was from the mere absence of that warm body next to his.

Several minutes passed before James resigned to the fact that he wouldn't be returning to sleep anytime soon. The floorboards were cool against the pads of his feet as he meandered down the short hallway. Just as when he had shared a home with Miranda, the small cottage was kept neat and tidy. It was a fortunate consequence of owning few belongings. At least it had been. Since Silver's sudden reappearance, his home was steadily becoming more and more cluttered. With each passing night there was a new cluster of shadows that he didn't readily recognize, whether it was from a stack of books he had purchased from the market --which he claimed were a gift for him--, his boots that he rarely put away, or a pile of clothing he had forgotten to fold. While he had always been fond of tidiness, he couldn't find it in himself to mind the mess. If anything it made this old house feel more like a home.

It wasn't long before he discovered just where Silver had gone. He found him outside beside the trees that lined the edge of their garden, lying on his back among the tall grass and with his crutch within reach. He was barefoot, the light cotton of his shirt and trousers providing a stark contrast against his sun soaked skin, even beneath the glow of the moon. His gaze appeared to be trained upwards.

James allowed himself a few moments to take in the sight before moving forward. The grass was still slightly damp from the rainfall they had gotten this afternoon. Combined with the gentle breeze, it was quite the soothing reprieve from the heat of the day. No wonder he had decided to lay out here. 

"Are you alright?" James asked once he was close enough for Silver to hear him.

The moment he spoke those crystalline blue eyes met his. Silver hummed as he thought, touching the back of his hand to his temple. "Just couldn't sleep," he mumbled.

James' brow quirked. "If I recall correctly," he began as he moved to lay down next to him, "You always slept rather soundly." After the events at Charlestown he had found himself quite familiar with Silver's sleeping habits. After all, he had spent numerous weeks within his cabin during his recovery. He had been there for everything. Though he certainly experienced his share of nightmares from the ordeal, most of the time he slept through the night with relative ease; especially once his leg had properly healed. There were many nights he lay awake and couldn't help but watch the man, taking note of the gentle rise and fall of his chest, his peaceful expression. He was both awed by and envious of it.

Silver chuckled at his words. The sound was but a soft rumble within his chest, not unlike the gentle thunder that often warned of rain. "That was before I became captain," he stated simply.

James frowned before offering a nod of understanding. He suppose he shouldn't be at all surprised. After all, he knew firsthand the heavy toll the role of captaincy often took on a man. Especially with one such as Silver, who was inexperienced both to wielding power and the responsibility that went with it.

"What about you?" Silver then asked out of apparent curiosity. "Why are you awake?"  
  
"You were gone..." James regretted the words the moment they passed his lips. Even more so once Silver started to laugh.  
  
"You _missed_ me," he teased shamelessly. James didn't bother arguing, instead he just gave an irritated sigh. "You know," Silver quipped after a moment, "A few years ago an old man, a sailor, told me about two stars, Virgo and Altair." Though James' brow furrowed, Silver didn't seem to notice and instead continued, his hand reaching up to trace patterns in the night sky as he spoke. "They were lovers, separated from each other by their families after the man stole one of their cattle." James remained silent, and when Silver finally peered over at him he was apparently giving him quite the incredulous look. "What?" Silver asked, obviously puzzled by his expression.  
  
James' lips parted wordlessly before he finally found his voice. "A sailor told you this?" he questioned.  
  
"Yes..."  
  
"In English?"  
  
Silver frowned slightly. "Uhm. French, actually. Why?"  
  
Exasperated, James gave a firm shake of his head. "No part of that is correct," he balked. "First of all, they aren't stars, they're _constellations_. _Vega_ and Altair. Secondly..." With a gentle grip, he took hold of Silver's wrist and guided it about forty degrees east. "They're _over here."  
_

A firm frown tugged at Silver's lips. "Oh..."

"Fucking hell. And he didn't steal a cow, he was a _cow herder_. She was a weaver. They were so in love that they spent all their waking hours with one another. This caused their duties to become grossly neglected, and that's why their families didn't want them to be together." When James glanced over at him next, the man had his lower lip caught between his teeth.

"Which one is Altair, again?" Silver asked.

James, his fingers still held loosely around Silver's wrist, lifted his hand and guided it over the pattern of the constellation he knew so well.  
  
Silver only seemed to become more confused. "That looks nothing like a man," he stated adamantly.  
  
James rolled his eyes. "Constellations rarely resemble the form of whatever story they tell."  
  
His old quartermaster merely snorted. The two then spent the next several moments enveloped in a comfortable silence. They gazed up at the stars that blanketed the cloudless sky, reveling in the gentle breeze that cooled their skin and bowed the grass that surrounded them.

Eventually Silver broke the silence. "What others do you know?"

James thought for a moment before offering a shrug. "A few," he murmured modestly. "Orion, Lyra. _Virgo_. Then there's Ursa, the Great Bear." When he caught Silver's eye the man was staring at him expectantly, a soft smile on his lips. He cleared his throat, feeling the urge to fidget beneath the weight of that steady gaze. He shifted back against the bed of grass before turning his attention back towards the sky. "So, Orion..." he began, his voice still a bit rough as he traced out the pattern with his pinky.  
  
He wasn't quite sure how long they stayed out there beneath the sky. It could have been as few as a single hour, or as long as several. As always when he retold the stories of the different constellations and their potential meanings to the cultures that they arose from, he became lost in it. Eventually he became aware that Silver hadn't uttered a single word for quite a while. Just soft hums and even quieter sighs. When he glanced over the man had turned onto his side, an arm crooked behind his head as those bright blue eyes bore into him.  
  
"You aren't even paying attention," James accused with a scowl.  
  
That smirk only widened. "Is it so terrible to be distracted by the sound of your voice?" When he didn't respond Silver chuckled, those bright eyes closing briefly. "Here," he offered then, taking his arm and drawing it out on the grass beside them. "Let me show you one of the constellations _I_ know." Without waiting he began to roll up the sleeve of James' tunic until it bunched above his elbow. He turned his arm upwards, calloused fingertips trailing slowly over the freckles so perfectly illuminated by the waxing moon above. After a moment he apparently found the cluster he had been searching for with a light press against the skin and a notable, "Aha!"  
  
"Here it is," Silver assured him with another poke. "The constellation known as _the Walrus._ " When he glanced up the man was wearing that usual, shit eating grin, and his eyes were alight with mirth. Despite his better judgement, he didn't interrupt. Instead he focused on the lightness of those fingers as they traced out the pattern of a ship, using his freckles as his guide. "Story goes, a dangerous pirate by the name of Captain Flint spent the later years of his life seeking the richest treasure in the New World."  
  
A faint smirk twitched at the corner of James' mouth at his fable. Still, those green eyes remained locked on the unusually soft features of Silver's face as he spoke.  
  
"He was the most notorious pirate in the West Indies. Even more so than Blackbeard," Silver assured him with a coy smirk. "Stronger, fiercer, and far more cunning. The intellect he wielded was sharper than any blade and reached farther than even the best musket. He made all of England and Spain shake in their boots. Waged a war against the world, the likes of which no one had ever seen." Silver seemed to grow contemplative for a moment then.

"Then what happened?" James asked softly. Those blue eyes moved up to meet his own as he was coaxed from his thoughts.

"He disappeared," Silver answered simply. His expression was an unreadable one. "After the war reached its end, so too was he ready to walk away from his name. He abandoned his life, his crew, in search of a treasure he said far outweighed even that of the Urca D'Lima. A treasure so rich, he swore to spend the rest of his life chasing after it."

"And?"

"That's it. No one knows if the pirate ever found what he as searching for."  
  
James' brow furrowed. "What do you believe?" he asked, strangely weary despite himself.

Silver took a few moments to answer. His fingers continued to trace nonsensical patterns over the freckled skin as he thought. "I'd like to trust that he found it," he eventually murmured.  
  
When those questioning eyes met his own, James didn't hesitate before capturing those lips in a telling kiss. Silver's beard caught against his own, the course hair lightly scraping against his skin as their mouths slotted so perfectly together. James reached up to cradle the back of his skull, both holding him steady and guiding him closer all at once. The pad of his thumb traced along his jaw, Silver's fingers clutching at the front of his shirt as he gently bit down on his lower lip. Even when their mouths finally parted, they barely allowed a breadth of space between them. Instead their foreheads pressed together firmly, each man holding the other close as their breaths tickled against the other's cheek.

"He found it," James whispered after a moment. The smile that warmed Silver's expression was enough to confirm that that was the response he had hoped for. When their lips touched again they did so softly, slowly, as if they had all the time in the world.

**Author's Note:**

> Comments make me giddy.
> 
> If you have any requests, don't be shy!


End file.
